Igniting mechanism for explosive-engines.



w. F. DAVIS. IGNITING MECHANISM FOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES. APPLIUATION FILEDMAR. 3, 1910.

1,065,923. Patented July 1, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

m lllllllllll n lligw y W. P. DAVIS. IGNITING MECHANISM FOR EXPLOSIVEENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. a, 1910.

1,065,923. 1 Patented July 1, 1913.

3 S TSSHBET 2.

W. F. DAVIS. IGNITING MECHANISM FOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 3, 1910.

Patented July 1, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

m vwwl kkw a mi UNITED STATES PATENT WILLIAM F. DAVIS, OF KANSAS CITY,KANSAS, ASSIGNOR TO McKEEN MOTOR CAR COMPANY, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA,

A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 1 1913.

Application filed March 3, 1910. Serial No. 547,025.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HLLIAM F. DAvIs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Kansas City, in the county of lVyando-tte and State ofKansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in IgnitingMechanisms for Explosive-Engines, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to the igniting mechanism for explosive enginesand particularly to that type of igniters in which the electrodes arebrought together and then separated quickly to form the spark.

The improvement seeks to provide a simple and effective form of such anigniting mechanism, together with the simple and effective means bywhich the time of ignition may be changed.

\Vith these objects in view the invention consists in the features ofconstruction, conibinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter setforth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularlypointed out in the appended claims.

The improved igniter mechanism is particularly applicable to motors forcars and the like, in which it is desired to vary the time at which theigniter operates in accordance with the speed of the motor.

In the drawings, the improvement is shown as applied to amotor mountedupon the truck of a car.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the car motor with the improved ignitermechanism applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a view of the end of the enginecylinders showing the igniter operating mechanism. Fig. 3 is a plan viewof parts shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail section on line 4 f of Fig.3. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section through the rear end of thecylinders. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view of parts shown in Fig. 5.Fig. 7 is a plan view of the operating cam and rocker shown in Fig. 5.Fig. 8 is a vertical section of the valve that controls the oper ationof the spark-timing devices. Fig. 9 is a plan view of the valve seat.Fig. 10 is an inverted plan view of the valve.

The car body 10 indicated in dotted lines, is swiveled to the truck 11in the usual way. The engine cylinders 13 are mounted on the truck andthe pistons in the cylinders are connected to a crank shaft 14: that isjournaled on the truck. Gears 15 on the engine shaft, mesh with gears 16on the countershaft and these gears are connected by pitman rods 18 withthe wheels 19 of the truck. Each engine cylinder is provided withsuitable inlet and exhaust channels 20 and 21 controlled by suitablevalves. The eX- haust valve 22 (see Fig. 5) is of a spring held, puppettype and is actuated at proper intervals by a rocker 23. Rocker 23 isfulcrumed on a shaft 24 and is moved by a cam on the shaft 25. Shaft 25is driven from the engine shaft by 2-to-1 gearing or in any othersuitable manner. An igniter shifterrod 26 is connected to the rear endof a second rocker 27 that is fulcrumed on the shaft 2%. and arranged tobe operated by cams on the shaft 25. The operating cam-points 28 for therockers 23 and 27, are preferably mounted 011 a sleeve 29 splined to theshaft to rotate therewith, but movable longitudinally thereon. There aretwo cam-points 28 for each rocker and the engine may be reversed bysliding the cam sleeve upon the shaft 25 to bring one or the other ofeach pair of cam-points into operative relation with the rockers 23 and27 respectively.

The igniter comprises a fixed electrode 30 mounted in, but insulatedfrom a bushing 31 set in the head of the cylinder. A movable electrode32 is j ournaled in the bushing and is provided with a laterallyextended portion at its inner end that is arranged to engage the fixedelectrode 30. A collar 33 is keyed or otherwise suitably fixed to theouter end of the movable electrode 32 and a collar 3% is looselyjournaled on said electrode between the fixed collar 33 and a boss 35 onthe bushing 31, through which the 32 electrode extends. The loose collaris provided with a horizontal cross-arm 34c having a thin blade 36 ofsteel, fixed to its up per face. One end of the blade projects beyondthe end of the arm 3d and terminates in a beveled edge 37 as shown. Theloose collar 3% and arm 3% are also provided on one side of the centerwith an outwardly off-set lug or projection 38, the lower end of whichis arranged to abut against the upper end of a corresponding inwardlyoff set projection or lug 39 on the fixed collar 33. These lugs orprojections extend in opposite directions from their point of contactand are normally held together by a coiled spring 40 that extendsbetween pins 41 on the ends of the lugs or projections 38 and 39.

An adjusting arm or hell crank lever 42 is carried by a pivot bolt 43 onthe end of the cylinder and an igniter shifter-arm 44 is connected tothe short arm of the bell crank lever 42 by a pivot bolt The shifterarmis connected by a pivot bolt 46 intermediate its ends to a couplingpiece 47 that is adjustably threaded upon the upper end of the shifterrod 26. A set nut 48 locks the shifter-arm 44 and rod 26 together inadjusted position. The free end of the shifter-arm carries a pivoted dog49 having an offset tail-portion 50 through which extends a bolt 51 thatis threaded into a lug 52 011 the shifter-arm. A spring 53 is coiledabout the bolt 51 between the lug 52 and the tail-portion 50 of the dog.Nuts 54 upon the end of the bolt are arranged to engage the tail portion50 so that the dog is held in adjust-ed position upon the shifter-arm 44between the nuts 54 and the spring 53.

On the up-stroke of the rod 26 and shifterarm 44, the dog 49 will engagethe beveled end of the blade 36 on arm 34, and through the medium of aspring 40 will turn the movable electrode 32 into engagement with thefixed elect-rode 30. hen this engagement is effected, the movement ofthe electrode and parts connected thereto is arrested and the continuedupward movement of the shifter-arm will stretch the spring 40 so that,when the end of the blade 36 trips from the dog 49, the lug 38 on theloose collar 34 will strike the lug 39 on the fixed collar 33 a sharpblow to quickly separate the electrodes. On the return movement of theshiftenarm, dog 49 will yield as it passes over the end of the blade 36compressing the spring 53.

If the spring that holds the electrodes in contact and subsequentlyseparates them is too heavy, the contacting points of the electrodeswill rapidly wear. If it is too light, the points will not be properlybrought together and separated. In the form shown, this spring tensionmay be very easily and nicely adjusted by lengthening and shortening thecoiled spring 40 between the pins 41.

One of the conducting wires 55 from the battery or other source ofcurrent, is connected to the insulated electrode 30. The otherconducting wire 56 is connected directly to the end of the movableelectrode 32, as shown in Fig. 5, so that the presence of moisture,scale or dirt between the movable electrode and the bushing 31, will notaffect the passage of the current.

With an igniter of this type it would be diflicult to vary the time ofignition relative to the stroke of the engine by rotatably ad justingthe igniter cam on its operating shaft. Indeed, with the preferredconstruction in which the cam is longitudinally shiftable on the shaft,it would be quite impracticable to also provide for a rotary adjustmentof the cam. I therefore vary the time of ignition by adjusting the arm42 upon which the shifter-arm 44 is pivoted. In Fig. 2 the adjustingarms 42 of the several igniting mechanisms are shown in mid-position.The extreme positions of one of the arms are shown in dotted lines. Inone of the extreme positions, that for slow speed, the arm 42 is heldagainst a stop 57 on the cylinder head by a spring 58. Spring 58 iscoiled about arod 59 that is pivoted to the adjusting-arm and the springextends bet-ween abutment 60 on the adjacent cylinder head and an enlarged portion or head 61 on the rod The arm 42 may be shifted by anysuitable means, away from the stop 57 to its midposition and to itsextreme forward position. When released, spring 58 will return the armto its initial position in engagementwith the stop. As the arm 42 isthus shifted it will swing the shifter-arm 44 of the igniter about itspivotal connection 46 with the operating rod 26, and thus raise the dog49 so that the dog will engage and operate the parts connected to themovable electrode at an earlier point in the stroke of the operating rod26 and thus advance the time of ignition.

It will be observed that in the mid-position of the arm 42 the pivots 43and 45 of the arms 42 and 44 are approximately in line with the end ofthe blade 36 with which the dog 49 engages, so that, in the extremepositions of the shifter-arm 42, the distance between the pivot 45 andthe edge 37 of the blade 36 will be practically equal, and the parts tooare so arranged that as the arm 42 is shifted through the short arebetween the extreme positions, this distance will be at all timessubstantially the same. The rocking of the shifter-arm 44 upon its pivot46, incident to the elevation and depression of the pivot 45, carriesthe point of the dog 49 slightly above or below the medial position inwhich it is represented, but as the shifterarm 44 is also, andproportionately, moved toward or from the arm 34, the point of the dog49 will be carried a little farther or a little less far under the blade36, and hence will be slightly delayed or slightly hastened in reachingthe tip of the blade and riding off the same. Thus compensation will bemade for the raising or lowering of the point of the dog 49 through therocking of the shifter-arm 44, and the effect will be that contact ofthe dog 49 with the blade 36 will occur a little earlier or a littlelater under the lateral adjustments of the lever 42 than when the latteris in its normal position, andv the spark will be accordingly advancedor retarded; but the extent of separation of the electrodes will remainpractically constant.

By this arrangement, dog 49 on the arm 44 will always engage the end ofthe blade 36 through substantially the same are and will always placethe spring 10 under the same tension to properly hold the electrodes inengagement, whatever may be the position of the adjusting arm 42.

The arms 42 of the several igniting mech anisms are all connected attheir upper ends to a common operating rod 2 that may be shifted in anysuitable manner. lVith the engine located on a truck beneath the car, asshown, it is convenient to effect this shift by fluid pressure. For thispurpose, a pair of motor cylinders 63 are carried by brackets (34 on asuitable header or support 65 (see Fig. 1). The pistons (36 in thesecylinders (see Fig. Al are provided vith piston-rods 67 that extendloosely through the ends of offset arms 68 on the common shifter rod 62.Collars 69 fixed to the piston-rods (37, are arranged to engage one sideof the offset arms 68 so that they are in one-way engagement with thesearms. The first cylinder (33 has a she-rt stroke and when air or othersuitable motor fluid under pressure, is admitted thereto will operatethe rod 62 to move the adjusting-arms 42 from initial to mid-position.The second cylinder 03 has a longer stroke and when air is admittedthereto, will further shift the arms 42 from mid-position to theirextreme forward position. This further shift is, of course, permitted byreason of the one-way connection bet-ween the bar- 62 and the piston-rodof the first cylinder. lVhen the air is exhausted from the motorcylinders, the spring 58 will return the adjustingarms to their normalposition with the first adjusting-arm against the stop 57.

A valve of any suitable sort may be employed for controlling the flow ofmotor fluid to and from the motor cylinders (33. In the form shown,pipes 70 lead from the cylinders 63 to a suitable controlling valve 71that is arranged upon a board 7 2 in the front end f the car. Thesepipes are secured to the bottom of the ear and include flexible portions73 to permit a relative movement between the body of the car and thetruck whereon the cylinders 63 are mounted. As stated, any suitable formof controlling valve may be employed. One form of valve is illustratedin Figs. 8, 9 and 10. In this form, air under pressure from a supplypipe 74: is led by suitable ports through the lower portion 75 of thevalve casing, through the valve seat 76 and rotary disk valve 77 intothe upper portion 78 of the valve casing and to the upper side of thevalve. The valve seat is also provided with an exhaust port 80 leadingto an ex haust pipe 81 and ports 82 and 83 communicating with the pipes70 that lead to the fluid pressure devices 63. The disk valve 77 isprovided with an admission port 84 which extends therethrough and whichcommunicates with an arc-shaped channel 85 on the under side of thevalve. The valve is also provided on its under side with an areshapedexhaust channel 86. By turning the valve in one direction the cylinders(33 may be placed successively in communication with the source of airor other suitable fluid under pressure, and by turning the valve in theopposite direction the cylinders may be connected suitably to theexhaust. In this 'ay, the adjusting arms 42 are shifted to vary the timeof ignition.

It is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the details ofconstruction and arrangement of parts without departure from theessentials of the invention and that parts of the invention may be takenwithout its adoption in entirety. It is also to be understood that thelanguage used in the following claims is intended to cover all of thegeneric and specific features of the invention herein described, and allstatements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language,might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is 1. In an apparatus of the character described, incombination, a fixed electrode; a movable electrode provided with arigid and with a loose arm; a tension spring connecting said arms; ashifter adapted to strike the movable arm, and thereby first to move therigid arm and the electrode, through said spring connection, to carrythe movable electrode into contact with the fixed electrode, andthereafter to further tension said spring; and means for adjusting saidshifter to vary the time of its engagement with the movable arm whilepreserving a substantially constant throw of the shifter.

2. In anapparatus of the character described, in combination, a fixedelectrode; a movable electrode; a striker mounted to oscillate on themovable electrode; a spring adapted to hold the striker and the movableelectrode in contact; reciprocatory means to separate the striker andthe movable electrode a substantially constant amount; and means to varythe normal elevation of the reciprocatery device and its consequentrelation to the striker without substantially varying the ultimateamount of movement of said striker and separation of the electrodes.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a fixedelectrode. a movable electrode, an oscillatory striker pivoted on thelatter and held thereagainst by a spring, a pivoted adjustingnrm, ashifter rod, a shifter pivoted at one end to the ad justing-arm andintermediate its ends to the shifter red, the free end of the shifteradapted to contact the striker and the point of contact being in linewith the supporting pivot of the adjusting-arm and the pivot between theshifter and the adjusting-arm in the mid position of the latter.

4-. In igniter mechanism for explosive engines, the combination withfixed and movable electrodes, of tight and loose collars on the outerend of said movable electrode, said collars having engaging lugs, atension spring extending between said lugs, a blade having a projectingbeveled edge fixed to said loose collar, a pivoted shifter and aspring-held pivoted dog on the end of said shifter arranged to engagethe edge of said blade, substantially as described.

5. In igniter mechanism for explosive engines, the combination withfixed and movable electrodes, of tight and loose collars on the end ofsaid movable electrode having engaging lugs, a tension spring extendingbetween said lugs, a pivoted shifter, a coupling member pivoted to saidshifter intermediate its ends, an operating-rod adjustably connected tosaid coupling member, a spring-held pivoted dog on the free end of saidshifter arranged to engage and operate said loose collar and means foradjusting the position of said dog on said shifter, substantially asdescribed.

6. In igniter mechanism for explosive engines, the combination withfixed and movable electrodes, of rigid and loose members on the end ofsaid movable electrode; a tension spring directly connecting said rigidand loose members; a shifter for said loose member; an operating rodconnected to the shifter; and an adjusting elbow lever carrying on oneof its arms, and at a distance from its fulcrum, a stud or fulcrum forsaid shifter, and adapted through movement of the lever to vary theposition of the shifter and the consequent time of ignition,substantially as described.

7. In igniter mechanism for explosive engines, the combination of afixed electrode; a movable electrode carried by a rocking shaft bearingtwo arms, one rigidly and the other loosely supported thereon; a springconnecting said loose and rigid arms; an operating shifter adapted toengage the loose arm, and through the spring connec tion, to move therigid arm and rock the shaft; a shaft rotating in timed relation to themain shaft of the engine; a cam on said rotating shaft; connectionsbetween said cam and said shifter, said cam being longitudinallyshiftable on said shaft to forward and reverse positions; and an adjusting lever carrying at a point eccentric to its fulcrum, a stud orfulcrum on which said shifter is supported, said lever serving,

through its adjustment, to vary the time of engagement of the shifterwith the arm of the rocking electrode shaft, and thereby to vary thetime of ignition, substantially as described.

8. In igniter mechanism for explosive engines, the combination withfixed and movable electrodes, of rigid and loose members on said movableelectrode; a tension spring directly connecting said members; anoperating shifter for said loose member; an adjusting elbow levercarrying on one of its arms, and at a distance from its fulcrum, a studor fulcrum for the shifter; and an operating rod connected to saidshifter, substantially as described.

9. In igniter mechanism for explosive engines, the combination withfixed and movable electrodes, of tight and loose, springconnectedmembers on said movable electrode, a shifter-arm for said loose member,a pivoted adjusting bell-crank lever whereon said shifter-arm ispivotally mounted and an operating-rod pivotally connected to saidshifter-arm intermediate its ends, substantially as described.

10. In igniter mechanism for explosive engines, the combination withfixed and movable electrodes of an operating shifter therefor; anadjusting arm connected to said shifter for changing the time ofignition; a fluid pressure device for operatingsaid adjusting arm in onedirection; a spring for moving said arm in the reverse direction; and avalve controlling the flow of pressure fluid to and from said fluidpressure device, substantially as described.

11. In igniter mechanism for explosive engines, the combination withfixed and movable electrodes, of an operating shifter-arm therefor, aspring-held adjusting arm where'- on said shifter arm is mounted, afluid pressure device for operating said adjusting-arm against thetension of its spring and a valve for controlling the flow of fluidunder pressure to and from the fluid pressure device, substantially asdescribed.

12. In igniter mechanism for explosive engines, the combination withfixed and movable electrodes, of an operating shifter therefor; anadjusting arm for said shifter; a plurality of fluid pressure devices ofdifferent throw, each having one-way connection with said adjusting arm;a spring acting upon said arm in opposition to the fluid pressuredevice; and means for controlling the flow of fluid to and from saidpressure device, substantially as described.

13. In explosive engines, the combination with a plurality of cylinders,of igniter-s for each of said cylinders comprising fixed and movableelectrodes; operating shifters for said movable electrode;adjusting-arms connected to said shifters for changing the time ofignition; a common operating-bar connected to all of saidadjusting-arms; a fluid pressure device for moving said bar in onedirection; and a spring serving to move said for moving said arm in theopposite direction, a control Valve on the car body; and pipeconnections, including flexible portions, between said Valve and saidfluid pressure device.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in the presence of twowitnesses.

WILLIAM F. DAVIS.

Vitnesses:

J. D. KIRKPATRICK, HENRIETTA KIRKPATRICK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). C.

